China has 1.3 billion people and 5.4 million mops. This is their story

Cai Murong

December 6, 2012

Cai Murong wondered if it might be a good idea to save up a little longer so she could afford to go to a better salon to get her hair done. Although her current salon only charged 15 kuai for a wash and trim, she had to admit she didn’t find the shared sink comfortable.

They had told her that if she paid them 20 kuai, she would only have to share with 4 people rather than up to 20. As it was, she frequently still had shampoo still in her hair when she left the salon, as well as a lot of stray hairs from her sinkmates.

Her boyfriend was always demanding that she explain the short and curly dyed black hairs that fell occasionally onto her shoulders. They were from the old lady with the bad perm, but he wouldn’t believe her.